Article of jewelry including an incense burner

ABSTRACT

AN ARTICLE OF JEWELRY INCLUDES AN INCENSE BURNER COMPRISING AN OPEN CASING OR RING WHICH SUPPORTS AN OPEN MESH BASKET IN WHICH A PELLET CAN BE SET AND IGNITED TO EMIT A STRONG FRAGRANCE. THE BASKET IS THERMALLY INSULATED FROM THE CASING SO THAT HEAT IS CONDUCTED AWAY FROM THE CASING BY AN AIR DRAFT WHICH PASSES THROUHGH THE BASKET. THE AIR DRAFT SUPPORTS COMBUSTION AND CARRIES THE EMITTED FRAGRANCE. A BRACELET, RING, CHAIN OF BEADS, OR THE LIKE IS SECURED TO THE CASING SO THAT THE BURNER IS WEARABLE AS AN ARTICLE OF COSTUME JEWELRY. SINCE THE CASING REMAINS COOL OR, AT MOST, MODERATELY WARM WHILE THE INCENSE IS BURNING, IT CAN BE WORN SAFELY IN CONTACT WITH A PERSON&#39;&#39;S FINGER, ARM, NECK OR OTHER BODY PART.

Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,437

ARTICLE OF JEWELRY INCLUDING AN INCENSE BURNER Filed Feb. 12, 1970 G. G. LITTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GARFIELD GREGORY LITTON 20, 1971 G. s. LITTON 3,605,437

' 7 ARTICLE OF JEWELRY INCLUDING AN INCENSE BURNER Filed Feb. 12, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J mvsmoa GARFIELD GREGORY LI TTON 50 TTURV 5 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,437 ARTICLE OF JEWELRY INCLUDING AN INCENSE BURNER Garfield G. Litton, 1360 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY. 11230 Filed Feb. 12, 1970, Ser. No. 10,946 Int. Cl. A44c 25/00 US. Cl. 63-1A Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article of jewelry includes an incense burner comprising an open casing or ring which supports an open mesh basket in which a pellet can be set and ignited to emit a strong fragrance. The basket is thermally insulated from the casing so that heat is conducted away from the casing by an air draft which passes through the basket. The air draft supports combustion and carries the emitted fragrance. A bracelet, ring, chain of beads, or the like, is secured to the casing so that the burner is wearable as an article of costume jewelry. Since the casing remains cool or, at most, moderately warm while the incense is burning, it can be worn safely in contact with a persons finger, arm, neck or other body part.

This invention concerns an incense burner adapted for wear as an article of costume jewelry in contact with a persons body.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide finger rings, earrings and other articles of costume jewelry with supports for aromatic substances which vaporize to give off a pleasant fragrance. Typical devices of this type are described in US. Pats. 2,056,665, and 2,471,949. Such devices cannot be used as incense burners because the heat of combustion will burn the body of the person wearing the device or article. Conventional incense burners heretofore known have been designed to mount on stationary bases or suspended supports. They are not intended for nor are they adapted for wear upon a persons body like an article of costume jewelry.

The present invention is directed at incense burners particularly adapted for wear as costume jewelry upon a persons body during use. Devices embodying the invention are so constructed that external surfaces remain cool or at most, moderately warm during prolonged burning of incense. An air draft passes upwardly through a passage or passes in the device like a chimney to carry away heat and the fragrant vapors emitted by the burning incense. The device has a positive closure, so that accidental opening and spilling of hot contents of the device is prevented. The device will safely retain burning embers, fine ashes and dust particles produced during combustion.

The device is arranged to hold a prescribed amount of incense so that it cannot be overloaded. The device is easy to load, light in weight, easily disassembled for cleaning and replacement of parts, attractive in appearance, long lasting and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention is explained in further detail in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an incense burner embodying the invention shown as part of a bracelet worn upon a persons wrist.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the incense burner of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another incense burner arranged as part of a finger ring.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an incense burner according to the invention arranged as part of a necklace.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an incense burner arranged as a charm or part of an earring.

iReferring first to FIGS. 14, there is shown an incense burner assembly 10, comprising a casing 12. The casing includes an externally threaded ring 11 open at top and bottom. Integral with the bottom of the ring is an open frame 14 having spider arms 15 which meet at the bottom of the frame. Upper ends of the arms terminate at ring 11. This defines large openings or spaces 16 between the arms which communicate with the large central opening or passage 18 in the ring. Inwardly projecting abutments 20 are circumferentially spaced around the inside of the ring and extend radially inward in passage 18. A thermally insulative ring or washer 22 made of ceramic, silicone plastic, compressed asbestos or the like seats on abutments 20 inside the ring.

An annular radial flange 24 of a wire mesh basket 25 rests on top of washer 22. The basket has an open top and closed bottom. The basket is cylindrical in shape and receives a wire coil 26. A cylindrical pellet 30 of incense composed of a burnable substance which will emit fragrant vapors seats within or on coil 26. The pellet may have a narrower bottom portion 32 which will fit snugly and frictionally in the top turn of the coil. The pellet 30 may be provided with a wick 34 to support combustion, or the pellet may contain a combustible material which will burn continuously without a wick. In any case, the coil supports the pellet so that an open passage 36 is maintained around the pellet in the basket. This permits an air draft indicated by arrows D in FIGS. 1 and 3, to pass freely through the chimney-like passage 18 in the ring, through the open mesh of the basket and around the pellet to leave the device out of the top of the basket.

Another thermally insulative ring or washer 38 is fitted inside the cylindrical skirt 40 of a screw cap 42. The cap has a central hole 44 in its circular, annular top 45. A circular mesh screen 46 fits in the cap between ring 38 and the top of the cap. Washer 38 bears on flange 24 of basket 25. Thus the basket is efiectively insulated thermally from casing 12 and cap 42. The casing and/or cap can be made of metal, plastic or ceramic material. In any case, it will remain cool or warm while the incense is burning in the basket. The coil 26 supports the pellet at the bottom so that a minimum of heat is directly conducted to the basket. This heat is carried away by convection of the air draft D. The vapors emitted by the burning pellet pass upwardly out of the device with air draft D.

FIGS. 1-4 show the frame 14 of casing 12 secured to a bracelet 50 adapted to be worn upon a persons wrist W. The incense will burn continuously regardless of the positions the wrist may assume. Frequent random movements of the bracelet on the wrist will serve to increase the air draft D and distribution of the fragrant vapors, and will thus help to maintain combustion while increasing air and vapor circulation. In addition such movements will help to keep the casing cool.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another incense burner 10A which is generally similar to incense burner 10 and corresponding parts are identically numbered. In burner 10A, cap 42a has a recess 52 formed in its top. Screen 46a is cup-shaped and is inverted to enlarge the space or chamber defined by basket 25. The rim 54 of screen 46a abuts flange 24 of the basket and both are interposed between the upper insulative gasket 38 and lower insulative gasket 22. The lower gasket rests in inwardly projecting ends of arms 15a forming parts of a U-shaped frame 14a. The frame is secured to a finger ring 60. A conical or other shaped pellet 30a of incense fits snugly in the bottom of the basket. Air draft D passes through the exposed sides of the basket 25 and up through passage 36a around the pellet. It then passes up out of the burner through screen 46a. As in burner A, movements of the burner in air will help maintain combustion and improve distribution of fragrant vapors while helping to cool the burner casing 12a and cap 42a.

In FIG. 7, cap 42 of burner 10 has ears 62 projecting diametrally from skirt 40. Ends of a string of beads 65 are engaged with cars 62 so that the burner can be worn as part of necklace around a persons neck. This will be quite safe since the combustion chamber defined by basket 25 will be effectively cooled and kept out of contact with the persons body and clothing.

FIG. 8 shows incense burner 10B which is like burner 10A, but forms part of a pendant which can be worn as a charm or part of an earring. Spider arms 72 extend upwardly from ring 11b and terminate in an eye 74 which is engaged at loop 75. An ear clip 76 is attached to loop 75. The burner will be suspended from a persons ear and will be externally cool and comfortable to wear. Movements of the wearers head will tend to swing the burner and this will improve distribution of the fragrant vapors, increase the air draft, maintain combustion and help to keep the casing cool.

Each of the incense burners described can be arranged for use as parts of leg or arm bracelets, finger rings, earrings, necklaces, or other articles of personal ornament. Each will have the desirabe characteristics of complete safety and comfort while being worn. Each can be easily taken apart for cleaning, refilling with incense, replacement of parts, etc. The casing can be made of base or precious metals. The mesh baskets are preferably made of fine mesh wire but they can be made of finely woven asbestos reinforced with wire, or they can be made of flame resistant plastic. The baskets can also be made of ceramic material having .fine pores sufiiciently large to pass an air draft therethrough but small enough to retain fines ashes. The parts of the burners can be made at low cost by mass production metal, plastic and ceramic manufacturing machinery.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of jewelry including an incense burner, comprising an externally threaded ring, a cap engageable on the ring and having a top opening; a cylindrical basket for supporting a combustible vapor emitting element, said basket having an open top with radial angular flange; thermally insulative gaskets disposed on opposite sides of said flange and supporting the basket in said ring under the cap; a screen extending across the opening in the cap; and a support arranged for supporting the burner on a part of a persons body; whereby air passing through said ring, basket and screen carries fragrant vapors emitted by said element while burning, supports combustion of the element, and carries away heat from the burning element so that the ring and cap remain at a comfortable low temperature.

2. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 1, wherein said support is a bracelet, and wherein said burner further comprises spider arms secured to said ring and bracelet to define passages for air communicating with the interior of the basket.

3. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 1, wherein said support is a finger ring, and wherein said burner further comprises spider arms secured to the first named ring and to said finger ring to space the burner from the finger ring and to define passages for air communicating with the interior of the basket.

4. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 1, further comprising a wire coil in the basket for supporting said element in a position spaced from sides and bottom of the basket.

5. An article of jewelry as defined in claim 1, wherein said support comprises members extending outwardly from said cap and adapted to support the burner as a pendant.

6. An article of jewelry including an incense burner, as defined in claim 1, further comprising abutments extending inwardly of the ring and supporting said gaskets, basket and screen thereon; and spider arms secured to saidi ring to define passages for air communicating with the interior of the basket.

7. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 6, wherein said spider arms are secured to said support, so that the basket is supported above said support.

8. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 7, wherein said support is a closed finger ring.

9. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 7, wherein said support is an open bracelet.

10. An article of jewelry including an incense burner as defined in claim 7, wherein said support includes means for suspending the burner from a part of said wearers body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 152,486 I/ 1949 Lorillard 63--Dig. 2

FOREIGN PATENTS 591,935 1959 Italy 63Dig. 2

610,900 1948 Great Britain 63Dig. 2

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner D. L. WEINHOLD, JR., Assistant Examiner 

